Door latch



June 28, 1960 G. E. GILPATRICK DOOR LATCH 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 15. 1957 INVENTOR. GEORGE E. G/LPATP/CK' V ATTORNEYS June 28, 1960 G; E. GILPATRICK 2,942,906

DOOR LATCH Filed April 15. 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 3 45 INVEN TOR. GEORGE E. G/LPATRICK ATTORNEYS June 1960 G. E. GILPATRIQK 2,942,906

DOOR LATCH Filed A ril 15, 1957 s Sheets-Sheet s FIG. 6

35 as 3a INVENTOR. GEORGE E. G/LPATR/CK ATTORNEYS United States Patent DOOR LATCH George E. Gilpatrick, West Hartford, Conn., assignor to The Stanley Works, New Britain, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Filed Apr. 15, 1957, Ser. No. 652,897

7 Claims. (Cl. 292-224) The present invention relates to a door latch of general utility but particularly adapted for use with screen doors and storm doors. The invention relates more particularly to a door latch of this type having an improved bolt and non-lockout feature.

In door latches of the type to which the present invention relates, it is desirable to provide a spring pressed bolt which will automatically latch with the keeper when the door is moved to closed position. It also is desirable to include a locking arrangement to prevent release of the latch when it is desired to lock the door in closed position. A further desideratum is to provide a nonlockout feature to'insure that the latch will be unlocked if the door is closed with the latch lock inadvertently set in locked position. I

A principal object of the invention is to provide a new and better door latch having an improved bolt structure together with an improved locking arrangement of the type which is automatically released if it has been set in locking position prior to closing of the door.

It is another object of this invention to provide a new and improved door latch of the type referred to which is of simple and compact design, pleasing in appearance, inexpensive to manufacture and which is rugged and dependable for trouble-free service over a long period of time.

Other objects will be in part obvious, and in part pointed out more in detail hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the appended claims.

This invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is an elevational view of a door latch positioned on a door and as viewed from the inside of the door;

Fig. 2 is a top view of the door latch and door of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an' enlarged elevational view partially in section of the door latch shown in Fig. 1 with the cover removed; 7

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along the line44ofFig. 5;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary bottom view of the latch mechanism with the frame in cross section; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along line 6--6 of Fig. 2.

As shown in Fig. 1, the door latch of the present invention is mounted on a conventional pivoted door 10 which in closed position abuts against a rabbeted door jamb 11 in the usual manner. The door latch is provided with a pair of operating handle 12, 13 and a cover 14 and escutcheon plate '15 arranged on opposite sides of the door-.10. Any suitable type of handle may be selected, and in the specific embodiment illustrated, handle 12 is preferably of the crank type and handle 13 is a spherically shaped knob. a

7 2 The door latch is provided with a pivoted spring pressed latch bolt 16, to be described more particularly herein after, which cooperates with the keeper 18 suitably mount- 7 ed on the door jamb 11. The finger piece 20a is provided 5 for operating of the locking slide 20 to be described later.

Referring now to Fig. 6, the cover 14 and escutcheon plate are mounted on opposite sides of the door by screws 21, with the openings 22, 23 of the cover and escutcheon plate in alignment with an aperture 24 extending through the door.

The hubs of the handles 12, 13 are rotatably positioned in the openings 22, 23 of the cover and escutcheon plate andiare engaged with opposite ends of a latch operating hollow shaft or sleeve 28. Shaft 28 extends through the door opening 24 and is substantially rectangular in crosssection being preferably provided with beveled corners as shown best in Fig. 3. Handle 12 is staked to the sleeve 28 while handle 13 is removably connected to .the shaft 28 by a set screw 30. Handle 13 has a center well 32 the outer end of which, in the embodiment shown, is closed by a cap 34.

Referring now to Fig. 3, the cover 14 is engaged with cars 48 on a support plate 49 positioned in abutting relationship with the door 10 and having a central bore port plate is also provided with spaced bent out tabs 53 to slidably guide the movement of the locking slide 20.

.As shown best in Fig. 4, the locking slide 20 is generally L-shaped in configuration and has a circular opening 56 through which the operating sleeve 28 extends when the lock is in the unlocked position. The circular opening'56 communicates with a rectangular slot 58 dimensioned to engage the operating shaft 28 and prevent it from turning when the lock is moved to the left as viewed in Fig. 4. As previously mentioned, the lock slide 20 is intended to be operated manually from the inside of the door by means of the finger piece 20a. However, the latch of the present invention is readily adapted for operationadditionally, if desired, by lock means of a tumbler lock (not shown) which may be accommodated in the 7 well 32 of handle 13 to turn the end 36 (Fig. 6) of a tubular shaft 35, disposed concentrically within shaft 28 and which can be done manually by other than lock means.

For thispurpose, the locking slide'20 has a vertical slot 57 for receiving. the ear of a lever arrn 44'which extends downwardly through a slot 46 in the hollow shaft 28 and is adapted to be actuated by a rectangular rod 41 extending within the hollow shaft 28 and rotatable by; the shaft 35. The arm 44 is rectangularly slotted at 50 its upper end to embrace the rod 41 and is accommodated between the shoulders 42 of the rod 41. The opposite end of rod 41 is telescoped into extension shaft 35 having a head 36 and rotatably supported at the base of well 32 by the washer 39.

The latch is provided with an operating cam comprising spaced apart cam plates 60, 61 formed with a connecting web 62. The cam plates are formed, respective- 1y, with square apertures 63, 64 for accommodating the shaft 28- and whereby the cam'is mounted on shaft 28 for rotation therewith. The cam may be rotated in either direction by the handle shaft 28 but is biased to the center position shown in Fig. 3 by a torsion spring 65 having its ends extending on opposite sides of the lug 66 extending rearwardly from the bottom of cam plate 60. The

bracket .arm 50 for supporting a pin 68 on which the latch bolt 16 ispivotally mounted. .As shown in Figs.

3, 4,:thebolt16 issubstantially'L-shaped and is pivotally;

Patented June as, 1960 7 through which'the operating shaft 28 extends. The'supendsof the spring 65 extend below lug 66 into engage} nection with the following explanation.

mounted at its corner on pin '68. The latch bolt 16 contains a downwardly depending latch leg 17 which is configured so that the latln'ng face 17a is inclined slightly rearwardly from the longitudinal-, centerjine -of thdbolteand with the opposite face, 17b arcuately beveled, so, astor provide a camming surface forretrasifing he bolt, when it engages thekeeper during closing movementof 1 thedoor. Theouter edge 170 also isinclined to 'thevertical when the bolt is ;in the normal latching position shownin the drawings v Integrally formed on thelower,

, endof, leg 17 is a protuberance, or boss 691adapted,

tdengage the flange 55 on the lockingslide 20 when the, bolt is moved to retracted position, ,-'Ihe-protuber-ance or boss- 69 also bearsagainstthebracket-SZ on thesupportplate49 which provides abearingsurfaceto prevent.-

the bolt fromtwisting, when it engages thekeeperl The r other leg 19. of the latch bolt 16 extends along the top of, the, operating cam 60-62 and is biased into engage,- ment therewith by means of a spring 70, The leg 19 is cut away to form a shoulder 25 providing a loadin'gsur-t face for the spring 70. t 1 7 a Theoperation. of the latch of the present invention will beapparent from the foregoing,description'taken in con- When the. door handles 12, 13 arerotated in either direction'tooperate thedoor latch the operating cam will movetthelatchbolt, leg 19 upwardly to pivot the latch .bolt 16. to unlatching position. The tabs 60a, 61a on cam plates, 61, re-' spectively, compensate for the difference in effective, length of the leg 19which is engaged by the cam when the, handles are turned in oppositedirectionsy Ifit isdesired to lock the door latch, the locking slide -20 ismoved to;,the left as viewed in Fig. 4,,to, pennitthe rectangular slot 58 tomove into rotating preventing'engagement with tated to open the door latch. a a

In the event that lock 20 is moved to alocking posi-' tion when the door is open, an inadvertent lockout is prevented because during closing, of the door, the retraction of the bolt caused by engagement of arcuatecamming surface 17 b against the keeper causes the projection 69 to engage the flange '55. on the locking slide 20 ..and

the operating shaft 28. Thus, neither handle may, be romove the locking slide 20 to the right to releasing 'posi "tion, thus leaving the door latch in an unlocked condition, V. r V a It will thus be seen that there has, been, provided a simple mechanism for automatically preventing inadivertentlockoututilizing a'newand improved latch bolt 7 structure in combination VVlflILa locking slide, The shape of the bolt provides an improved latching and canmring action and insures trouble-free actionover a long period 7 ofjtime. As the embodiment shown in the .drawing will" be, subject to modification and variation by one skilled in the. art, all such variations and modifications are; intended to be. included within the scope-of the invention.

I claim: v t

1. In a door'latch, a frame, a substantially L-shaped latch bolt pivoted at its corner on; the frame and having a depending latching legfan operating shaft extending substantially parallel to the pivot of the latch-boltand having a cam underlying the other leg of the latch bolt,

means biasing the latch bolt into engagement with the earn, a cam face on, one side of the'latching legtocause retraction ofthe bolt upon engagement 'of the cam face with, a keeper, a lockingslide mounted on; the frame, 15 movement'in aldirection transverse to the QPQIating shaft and toward the latching leg ,ofthe bolt, said locking slide having means for locking the'shaft'when'the'slide is rnoved in said direction, and means on the latching leg I for engaging the locking slide and moving it to unlocking; i 'position when thebolt is retracted. i H T 2 In adoorlatfch, 'a'la'tch bolt having 3, depending a latching pprtion and an uppencam followefpor tion subg ste ia l n ma hsr t a a lt being m an m n -i edi for movement'of the dependingportion'between a 4 latching and an unlatching position, means biasing the bolt to latching position, an; operating cam' associated with the follower portion for pivoting'the latching portion into an unlatching position, and a locking member mounted for movement into a position preventing operation of the cam, said locking member; having a portion extending into the path of retractive movement of the latching bolt when the locking member-is in locking position, whereby the locking member ismoved to the unlockedposition tb y refractive movement of thebolt, v

3. In a door latch, a pivotally mounted latchbolthaving a depending latching leg and a cam follower extending substantially horizontally therefrom saidleg being positioned to pivot between alatching and an unlatching position in respect to a keeper, means biasing the bolt to the latching position, a rotatable shaft, a cam fixed to said shaft and engaging said follower upon manual rotation of said shaft to pivot the latch bolt to unlatchingposition, a locking slide mounted for movementin substane tially a horizontaldirection and engageable with said shaft to prevent rotation thereof, and; means co-opera tively connecting said slide and said latchingleg responsive to movement of said latching leg into an unlatching positionfor disengagement of said slide from said shaft- 4. In a door latch, a latch bolt having a depending latching portion and a cam followerportion insubstantial right-angularity thereto, means pivotally mounting a d bolt v n e e, id Pa don e ns b a aid boltto latching position, a cam operatively associated 'with saidfollower portion for pivoting said latching portion to an unlatching position, a rotatable operating-shaft,

said cambeing fixed to rotate with said shaft, and alocking member engageable with the shaft to prevent rotation thereof, said locking member being slidably mounted for movement between a shaft locking and a shaft unlocking position, said locking member having'a depending portion positionedin the path of retractive movement of said latching portion by movement of the locking memben into-locking position, said depending portion being posi}. tioned for contacting engagement with said slide to move the slide out of locking engagement with said; by;

pivotal movement of said locking bolt from a locking, to an unlocking position.

5. In a door latch, a frame, a substantially l; -shaped;

latchbolt pivoted at its corner on the frame and having a downwardly xt d la chi le nd a r pperam; follower portion, means biasing theibolt to latchingposi-.

tion, a rotatable; operating shaft extending substantially-f parallel to'the pivot of the latchbolt and provided with arectangular portion, a earn mounted on said shaft with the surface thereof positioned to engage said follower portion, a shaft locking'member slidably mounted on said frame-for movement transversely f'said sh'afh-said lock-r.

ing member having a kf rm p rtions ensaecable with the rectangular portion of the shaft to preventrota tion thereof, saidlatching leg and inember having regiswr Po t n ar t d w en s id m mber i lin; lock-i. ing position but said locking member portion beingen; gageable by said latching leg portion tomove, said locking member out of locking engagement with s idrshaft'by i li d me Qt a d latc i g ee winge; a k ng 110 an unlocking position.

6. Ina door latch, afrarn'e mountable on a door panel 7 and having an pe t s a t m a ounted hereon I keeper to move saidlatching leg to an unlatched pos biasing said other leg into engagement with said cam and resiliently holding said latching leg in a latching position, a locking member mounted on said frame for movement in a direction transversely of said operating shaft and toward said latching leg, said locking member having means for locking said shaft when moved in said direc tion, and cooperating shoulders on said locking member and said latching leg engageable to move said locking member to an unlocking position when said latching leg is cammed to an unlatching position.

7. In a door latch of the type having a control shaft adapted to extend through a door panel normal to the plane of the door, a substantially L-shaped latch bolt pivoted at its corner about its axis parallel to the axis of the control shaft and having a latching leg engageable with an associated keeper, said bolt being biased to a latching position with the latching leg extending downwardly and having its outer edge inclined outwardly from the pivot, an arcuate camming face on one side of the latching leg and a slightly rearwardly inclined latching face on the other side for engagement with an associated keeper positioned at a right angle to the bolt axis, an operating cam associated with the other leg of the bolt for pivoting the bolt to an unlatching position, locking means for rendering said operating cam inoperative, and means on said latching leg engageable with said locking means upon retraction of the bolt to release said locking means References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Page June 10, 1890 1,594,272 Salin nee Levy July 27, 1926 1,681,147 Dexter Aug. 14, 1928 2,368,487 Newell Jan. 30, 1945 2,370,645 Falk Mar. 6, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS 11,905 Great Britain 1902 895,127 France Mar. 27, 1944 

